Best thumb splint to buy

chrissy-ma

I keep spending money on eBay buying splints, in attempts to alleviate excruciating pain from OA in my right thumb.
They fall to bits quickly, and are only partially helpful while intact.
Can you recommend a definitive brand/style please.I am awaiting surgery to remove a basal joint, which I'm assured will help, but meanwhile, being right-handed, am increasingly helpless.
I'm becoming quite tearful over this OA, a sudden and unwelcome addition to MS, GCA, PMR, diabetes.
Please help.

helpline_team

Dear chrissy-ma

Thank you for your posting.

I’m sorry to hear about the excruciating pain you are getting in your right thumb, as well as the difficulties you are experiencing with your other conditions.

As dreamdaisy mentions, an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist may be able to help design a splint that is useful to you.

We do not have information on particular thumb splints ourselves but The Disabled Living foundation may well be able to help with this (see http://www.dlf.org.uk/).

For more information on ‘Osteoarthritis of the hand and wrist’ see our factsheet at http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Listedbytype/Factsheets#cK45 and ‘Coping with pain’ at http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Listedbytype/Booklets.

I hope this helps.

Please ring our helplines on 0808 800 4050 if you would like to have a chat about your condition, or need more information.

Regards

Nick

dreamdaisy

Hello chrissy-ma, welcome to the forums. I don't have much experience of splints myself (well, none to be truthful!) but I have read about them on the LWA forum, quite often. It would appear that people on here who use them have been referred to an OT (occupational therapist) who assesses movement etc and will construct or design a splint to suit (I think I am right in saying this). Another forum member was recently having a problem with a new splint and it was discovered that it was too straight, thus putting her joint under extra pressure. It was adjusted and things were more comfortable. I think you can be referred via your GP, this could be a route worth considering. I hope things improve for you soon and I wish you well. DD